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Tsholotsho Gukurahundi victims demand apology

Published

1 year ago

November 25, 2024

BY NIZBERT MOYO

A Gukurahundi survivor Hlanganiso Sithole (76) from Sikhale line in Matabeleland North’s Tsholotsho district still bears the scars of the torture he endured at the hands of the Fifth Brigade.

Sithole said his three brothers were shot dead in June 1984 while he managed to escape from the firing squad.

“There were four of us where we were seated at one of the family homestead,” he narrated the events of the day

“Soldiers approached us and accused us of being dissidents. During that process one of my brothers, Oscar, had gone to the toilet while they were interrogating us and by the time he came back they attacked accusing him of being a dissident…

“While we were still shocked, they started firing. My three brothers were killed instantly.

“I survived through the grace of the Lord because I could not believe it was me but God’s hand, at play.”

He is one of the many survivors of the 1980’s Gukurahundi massacres demanding answers for the torture they endured at the hands of the Fifth Brigade.

In July this year, President Emmerson Mnangagwa officially launched the Gukurahundi outreach programme in Bulawayo where he said the program would be led by the chiefs.

The programme has failed to take off amid indications that a budget for the exercise has not been released.

Some of the victims told Southern Eye on Sunday that they want an apology and compensation before they can die due to old age.

A visit to Tsholotsho on Wednesday by Southern Eye on Sunday revealed that the majority of villagers are still traumatised by the torture, rape and killings.

“These people were killing anyone whom they come across with, even the police were telling us that they are afraid of them because they could be killed as well,” Sithole claimed.

“I am an innocent man, I need compensation.”

An elderly woman said she has not overcome the trauma of rape at the hands of the Fifth Brigade.

“I still recall that it was on a Monday, “ the woman who cannot be identified by name for ethical reasons said.

“They tortured my husband and left him for dead.

“They found me putting on a maternity dress which I was given by my youngster who had given birth.

“One of the soldiers was stopped by his colleagues after he tried to spear my stomach with his bayonet accusing me of bearing a dissident in my stomach.”

He husband succumbed to the torture injuries, she said.

“One of the soldiers raped me and continued coming to me every day at night,” she said.

No definitive death toll has been established but the late Robert Mugabe’s Fifth Brigade, trained by North Korean instructors, is estimated to have killed up to 20,000 people between 1983 and 1987.

Mnangagwa is accused of being the architect of the killings as he was State Security minister at the time.

SOURCE: SOUTHERN EYE

National

Zambia, Zimbabwe to ban heavy trucks from Victoria Falls Bridge

Published

9 hours ago

April 21, 2026

VicFallsLive

BY DUMANI MOYO

Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema has announced that Zambia and Zimbabwe will restrict heavy trucks and trains from using the century-old Victoria Falls Bridge.

Speaking at an engineering conference in Livingstone, he said the two countries will instead build a new bridge and railway crossing to handle modern freight demands.

Hichilema made it clear that the 121-year-old structure can no longer safely or efficiently carry today’s heavy-duty traffic.

Engineers designed the bridge in the early 1900s for much lighter loads, not for fully laden 60-tonne mining trucks or long freight trains that now dominate regional trade routes.

Engineers completed the Victoria Falls Bridge in 1905 as a narrow arch crossing linking road, rail and pedestrian traffic.

While it remains an iconic piece of infrastructure, its design limits its ability to support modern logistics.

Authorities have already imposed restrictions over the years.

Trains often move at very low speeds, while trucks have faced weight limits that forced heavier vehicles to reroute through other crossings.

Although rehabilitation work in 2006 extended the bridge’s lifespan, it did not solve the fundamental structural limitations.

Experts now agree that upgrading the bridge to meet current freight standards would cost nearly as much as building a new one.

WHY A NEW CROSSING MAKES ECONOMIC SENSE

Officials from both countries now favour constructing a new dual-purpose rail and road bridge instead of attempting further upgrades.

A purpose-built crossing would accommodate higher traffic volumes and modern freight loads without compromising safety.

A new structure would also eliminate a major bottleneck along the North-South Corridor, which links the copper belts of Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo to southern markets such as South Africa.

By separating heavy commercial traffic from tourism and local travel, the new bridge would allow the Victoria Falls Bridge to serve lighter vehicles, pedestrians and tourists, preserving its heritage value.

REGIONAL TRADE AND RAIL INTEGRATION BOOST

The proposed crossing would complement major regional projects, including the Mosetse-Kazungula-Livingstone Railway.

A dual-track rail bridge would strengthen links between Zambia and Zimbabwe while supporting long-term plans to expand rail connectivity across Southern Africa.

It would also mirror the successful model of the Kazungula Bridge, which has significantly increased traffic flow since opening in 2021.

FINANCING AND NEXT STEPS

Despite strong political backing, key questions remain around funding, construction timelines and project ownership.

Zimbabwe’s debt constraints could complicate financing, although improved economic reforms may unlock support from international lenders.

If both governments secure funding and move quickly, the new bridge could become one of the most important infrastructure developments in the Southern African Development Community in recent years.

This could transform trade flows and ease congestion along a critical regional corridor.

SOURCE: THE SOUTH AFRICAN

National

Health ministry rolls out polio vaccination campaign

Published

9 hours ago

April 21, 2026

VicFallsLive

BY OWN CORRESPONDENT

Ministry of Health and Child Care has launched a targeted polio vaccination campaign in selected districts, with health workers going door-to-door and setting up outreach points to reach young children.

The campaign aims to vaccinate all children under the age of five against polio, a highly infectious disease that can cause paralysis. Authorities say the initiative forms part of a wider regional effort to interrupt transmission, being conducted alongside neighbouring countries including Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia.

In a message posted on X on Monday and circulated in official memos, the ministry said it was “embarking on a targeted polio vaccination campaign to interrupt the transmission of polioviruses”. It urged families in affected areas to ensure that all eligible children are vaccinated, regardless of their previous vaccination status.

The programme will be carried out in two rounds, from 20 to 23 April and from 2 to 5 June, covering both urban and rural communities.

In Bulawayo Metropolitan Province, vaccination teams are operating in Emakhandeni, the Northern Suburbs and Nkulumane. In Harare Metropolitan Province, the campaign covers Harare, Chitungwiza, Epworth and Ruwa.

In Manicaland Province, teams are working in Mutare, Mutasa, Chimanimani and Chipinge. In Mashonaland Central, the campaign targets Mbire, Mt Darwin, Centenary and Rushinga, while in Mashonaland East it focuses on Mudzi. In Mashonaland West, Kariba and Hurungwe are included.

Further south, the drive extends to Chiredzi in Masvingo Province, as well as Binga, Hwange and Tsholotsho in Matabeleland North. In Matabeleland South, teams are operating in Bulilima, Mangwe, Matobo and Gwanda.

Health workers are using a combination of fixed vaccination sites, mobile units and door-to-door visits in neighbourhoods, markets, shops and clinics to reach eligible children, including those in remote and hard-to-access areas.

The ministry has called on parents and guardians to cooperate with vaccination teams, saying the campaign is critical to protecting children and preventing the spread of the disease.

SOURCE: CITE

In the community

Elephant kills villager in Nkayi, authorities launch investigation

Published

2 days ago

April 19, 2026

VicFallsLive

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

An elephant trampled a villager to death overnight in Mthoniselwa village in Ward 13 of Nkayi district, local authorities said on Sunday, in the latest human-wildlife conflict incident in the area.

The fatal attack occurred in the early hours of the morning, according to community leaders, who said the victim was attacked near the homestead.

“We have received a report from our Lupane Investigations Office regarding a tragic incident in Mthoniselwa village, Ward 13 of Nkayi, where a villager was trampled by an elephant,” said Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks spokesperson Luckmore Safuli.

“Further details regarding the identity and circumstances surrounding the deceased are still pending. ZimParks personnel are actively conducting assessments in the area to gather more information. Additionally, the Nkayi Rural District Council officers, in collaboration with the Zimbabwe Republic Police, are on site to investigate the incident and conduct community awareness initiatives,” Saffouli added.

A message circulated in local community groups earlier in the day alerted residents to the incident and urged caution.

“We received a sad report from police this morning of a person who was attacked and killed by an elephant at night in Mthoniselwa, Ward 13. ZimParks has been notified and a ranger is on the way to track the elephant,” the message read.

Community leaders also urged residents to report the presence of dangerous wildlife and to remain vigilant to avoid further tragedies.

Zimbabwe has in recent years recorded a rise in human-wildlife conflict cases, particularly involving elephants, as animals stray into villages in search of food and water.